Extruded structural member



Nov. 21, 1961 J. T. MILLER EXTRUDED STRUCTURAL MEMBER Filed July 21, 1958 M N w INVENTOR.

JAMES T. MILLER ATTOR "5Y5 3,009,549 EXTRUDED STRUCTURAL MEMBER James T. Miller, Reed City, Mich., assignor to Miller Industries, Inc., Reed City, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed July 21, 1958, Ser. No. 749,969 1 Claim. (Cl. 189-34) This invention relates to structural members in gen eral, and more particularly to their construction.

Structural members are known in numerous shapes, sizes, and forms as adapted to suit the requirements of a particular structure. However, there are certain structural shapes that are more commonly known than others and which have come to be known as distinct in themselves. These include the tubular form, the channel section, and the I-beam, to mention a few.

It is an object of this invention to disclose a new and ditferent structural member which is considered to have such application as will cause it to become known of itself. This form of structural member includes the advantages of several of the different commonly known structural forms.

The structural member of this invention is preferably formed from lightweight metals by the extrusion process. Accordingly, it is simple to make and is light in weight. This makes it less expensive and easier to use.

The structural member of this invention is preferably made in long lengths and of a material which can be readily cut. This enables a manufacturer to run off standardized stock lengths of the structural member and permits the fabricator to cut the standard lengths to more exact size at the site of use.

The structural member is such as is adapted to engage other different structural members together. It includes a channel shape in cross section formed by side wall flanges and an interconnecting web flange. The web flange extends outwardly beyond the side wall flanges to provide web extensions. Rib flanges are formed on the web extensions in parallel spaced relation to each other and to the side wall flanges of the channel section part. The rib flanges extend in an opposite direction to that of the side wall flanges of the channel part. The terminal edge of the side wall flanges and the terminal edge of the rib flanges each includes means of cooperative engagement with other structural members. The side wall flanges and rib flanges are made sufliciently flexible for lateral flexing to permit snap-on engagement with the other structural members.

Other structural aspects will be discussed in further detail in the description of the structural member of this invention which follows hereafter.

One particular use for the structural member of this invention is in the framing of a curtain wall for a building. Such a use is described in my copending patent application Serial Number 710,763 filed January 23, 1958 and titled Frame and Curtain Wall Construction.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a length of the extruded structural member of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the structural member of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a smaller cross sectional view of the structural member having other structural members shown in phantom, as disposed for engagement therewith.

The structural member 50 is formed from a light, but strong and durable, metal such as aluminum. The structural member is preferably formed by the extrusion process.

The structural member 50 is formed to include a channel section shape, in cross section, and has side wall ited States Patent O ice flanges 52 and 54 with an interconnecting web flange 56 therebetween.

The web flange 56 is somewhat thicker than the side wall flanges 52 and 54 and is formed to extend beyond the side wall flanges. This forms web extensions 58 and 60 on each side of the channel section part.

Rib flanges 62 and 64 are formed from the web extensions 58 and 60. The rib flanges extend normal to the web extensions and in parallel spaced relation to each other and to the channel forming side wall flanges 52 and 54. The rib flanges extend in a direction opposite to the flanges 52 and 54 and may be likened to forming a shallow channel section part with the web flange 56. Such shallow channel section part is in back to back relation with the more formative channel section part first mentioned.

The terminal ends of the rib flanges 62 and 64 are formed to provide detent ribs 66 and 68. The detent ribs 66 and 68 are disposed on the outer side face of the rib flanges. The detent ribs are so formed as to provide a rounded edge 70 on the terminal ends of each of the rib flanges 62 and 64.

The web extensions 58 and 60 are formed to include grooves 72 and 74 at the base and on each side of the rib flanges 62 and 64. The grooves 72 and 74 provide lines of less strength in the web extensions by reducing the thickness thereof. This makes the rib flanges 62 and 64 more flexible laterally.

The formation of the rib flanges 62 and 64 to include the detent ribs 66 and 68, and to have the grooves 72 and 74 provided at their base to enable greater flexibility, has application in the snap-on engagement of the structural member 50 with another structural member. This may include a structural member such as 100, shown in phantom outline by FIG. 1. The snap-on interengagement of structural members 50 and 100 will be described later.

The terminal ends of the side wall flanges 52 and 54 are also formed to include means of cooperative engagement with another structural member; such as 10, shown in phantom by FIG. 3. Lateral grooves 76 and 78 are formed in the inner faces of side wall flanges 52 and 54. Such grooves 76 and 78 are near the terminal ends of the side wall flanges and are adapted to receive detent ribs 38 and 40 or the like of the other structural member 10. The ends of the side wall flanges 52 and 54 are formed to include thicker head portions 80 and 82, to accommodate the grooves 76 and 78. Cam edge surfaces 84 and 86 are provided between the detent rib receiving grooves 76 and 78 and the terminal ends of the side wall flange head portions 80 and 82. Such cam surfaces 84 and 86 serve to guide the detent ribs 38 and 40, of the other structural member 10, into snap-on locking engagement within grooves 76 and 78.

The height and thickness of the side wall flanges 52 and 54 will affect their lateral flexibility and will determine the ease of snap-on interengagement with the structural member 10. The same holds true of the rib flanges 62 and 64. However, the lateral flexibility of the rib.

flanges 62 and 64 is also affected by the grooves 72 and 74.

As shown, the structural member 50 is most suitably adapted to connect two different structural members, as 10 and 100, together. The structural member 50 serves to also reinforce and strengthen the resultant combination of structural members.

In the particular use illustrated, parts of the structural member 50 are adapted to serve additional purposes. For example, the outer underside edges 88 and 90, of the web extensions 58 and 60, serve as points of engagement with the terminal parts of structural member 100. The underside of web 56, between grooves 74, also serves as a broad shoulder stop for parts of the structural member 100. These features contribute to the more secure interengagement of structural members 50 and 100.

I claim:

A structural member for use in engaging other structural members together, and comprising: an elongated extruded member formed to include a channel section having parallel spaced side flanges and an interconnecting web flange therebetween, extensions of said web flange formed on the outer sides of said side flanges and in the plane of said Web flange, rib flanges formed on said Web extensions and extending in a direction opposite to said side flanges, said rib flanges disposed in parallel spaced relation to each other and to said side flanges for providing a surface of engagement for another member with said web between said rib flanges and in substantial alignment with said side flanges on the opposite side thereof, detent ribs formed on the outer side faces of said rib flanges and near the ends thereof opposed, detent rib receiving grooves formed within the inner side faces of said side wall flanges and spaced from but near the ends thereof,

and cam surfaces formed on the ends of said side wall flanges and extending to said grooves, said detent ribs and said detent rib receiving grooves each being disposed for cooperative interengagement with other separate structural members, said side flanges being sutficiently long to have limited lateral flexibility, and said web extensions having a lesser cross sectional thickness on each side and at the base of said rib flanges to afford greater lateral flexibility thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,866,527 Schilling Dec. 30, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 281,053 Switzerland June 3, 1952 520,859 Canada Jan. 17, 1956 OTHER REFERENCES The Architectural Record, September 1936, page 9.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 3 OO9 549 November 21, 1961 James T. Miller It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3 line l9 for "thereof opposed read thereof opposed Signed and sealed this 17th day of April..l962

(SEAL) Attest:

ESTON G. JOHNSON DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

